“I’m a girl with daddy issues, Sam, so I don’t trust easily. Why aren’t you telling us where we’re headed?” My pulse was racing as I prayed this didn’t turn into a big confrontation.
Sam looked sadly at me and kneeled down, coming close. “I have no way of knowing if we are being overheard. What if the Quorum sewed listening chips into our clothing? Our duffle bags?”
My stomach rolled at the thought. Oh God. Were they on their way here now? I wanted to rip my clothes off and check the seams or something.
“There are some things in life worth risking everything for. I’m willing to risk all of you not trusting me or being mad at me if it means I can keep this secret destination safe.”
Ryder’s hand grasped Sam’s shoulder. “You’ve never steered me wrong before. I trust you.”
I squeezed Sam’s hand as the rest of the boys began to file into the small plane. “I trust you too, Sam.”
I realized that was totally the truth. These boys were my family now, and if you couldn’t trust family you were screwed. Sam nodded and went into the cockpit. Ryder kissed my forehead before leaving so he could slide into the co-pilot chair beside Sam.
Jayden plopped down in the seat next to me and leaned over on my armrest and whispered, “Sam’s a pilot? Good lord, that boy is sexy.” Jayden fanned himself and I smiled. Resting my head on my BAFF’s strong shoulder, I drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 14
The jerking of the plane jolted me awake. As I twisted my head to catch Jayden’s eye, he made an exaggerated movement of wiping my drool off his shoulder.
“You’re lucky you’re cute, because I don’t even let Oliver drool on me.”
I brushed a hand across my mouth, which admittedly had a bit of drool at the corners, before reaching out and smacking his arm. “Shut up. What’s going on?”
Looking out the window, we had landed in a mountainous, green, and totally scenic place. Must be Canada. The small tarmac we were rolling down seemed to be leading straight into a private plane hangar.
Sam smoothly guided us inside and then Ryder jumped out to close the huge hanger doors. It was darker inside now, but that didn’t stop me from pressing my face to the window. Through the small opening I caught glimpses of a large industrial space. Movement drew my attention as a beautiful woman with long strawberry blond hair strode across from where she must have been waiting against the far wall. Craning my neck to see more, I saw a line of plastic shopping bags along the wall.
After finishing all of his flight things, Sam exited the open-doored cockpit and spoke to all of us.
“Let’s move. We need to be in and out of here quickly.”
I rolled my ankle in a circle and was amazed that it barely hurt. Standing up and testing it out, I was able to walk on it with only a slight limp.
Ryder, who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, reached out for me and helped me down. We then strode around the front of the jet and I let out a stifled gasp as Sam crossed the space to the woman and she threw her arms around him. He pulled her close, even lifting her up off the ground. Whoa … Sam was never openly affectionate.
Kyle was grinning widely. “I knew it. There were no fishing trips,” he whispered to me. “He totally has a love nest.”
All of us were transfixed as Sam spoke in hushed tones with the girl and she nodded, hugging him again and then leaving. He turned and crossed back to us. Jared and the guys had already started unloading our stuff, but Sam stopped them with a single shake of his head.
“Leave it,” he said.
We all froze, waiting for him to clue us in on what was happening.
He pointed to the blood cases. “Drink up. It will have to last you the rest of our trip, because we’re taking nothing else with us.”
Jayden’s mouth popped open. “My clothes?” He looked mortally offended at the idea of leaving his designer outfits behind.
Sam shrugged. “Will be incinerated.”
“Monster,” Jayden whispered, his entire face crumpling as Oliver rubbed his shoulders.
Ryder gave Sam a discerning look then, no doubt trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
Sam, ignoring our glares, began to undress. His hand waved at the line of shopping bags. “My friend has bought us new clothes. Nothing from the Hive goes to our new location.”
I raised an eyebrow. Damn, this was one paranoid dude, with a very detailed escape plan. Ryder caught me taking a quick peek at Sam’s shirtless form—seriously, it was purely professional interest because he was always so covered up, even in the weights room. Ryder quirked one side of his mouth before pulling his own shirt off.
Sam was forgotten as I allowed my eyes to slowly roam down Ryder’s chiseled abs and tan smooth skin. Good Lord, he was a piece of work.
Everyone was in varying stages of undress now, and Jayden’s wide eyes met mine.
“This is what I imagine heaven is like,” he said.